In the 21st year of Qisheng, at the beginning of winter, Emperor Yan passed away. The Crown Prince ascended the throne and changed the era’s name to Yong’an.
Prince Jin, in defiance of the law, attempted to rebel. He should have been executed, but the new emperor granted him mercy, demoting him to commoner and exiling him and his family to the Lingnan region, never to return to the Capital.
Less than a month later, the new Emperor issued another decree, exonerating the entire Xie Family for that year’s rebellion. All members of the Xie Family who had low status had their status restored, those imprisoned were released and those sentenced to exile were reintegrated. The late General Xie Bi, honored with the titles of Commander of Jialing and Langchuan, was posthumously given the title of “Loyal and Brave”, and a tomb was built in his honor.
Another year of heavy snowfall. The bluestone streets were covered with snow, and even the eaves and roof tiles were pure white. The piercing wind seemed capable of tearing a layer of skin from the face. People, dressed in fine cotton clothes, ran up and down, exhaling warm breaths from time to time and complaining that this year’s snow was exceptionally cold and late.
At this moment, however, Chu Xinian was not in General Xie’s mansion, but in… a brothel.
Wenxianglou was the liveliest and most luxurious brothel in the Capital. Although it was cold outside, it was spring-like warm inside. In one corner burned charcoal of high-quality silver thread, which radiated a comforting warmth, and even seemed to give off a faint fragrance.
The second floor was reserved for private rooms, on the first floor there was a stage for performances with dozens of tables, creating a bustling atmosphere. Chu Xinian, dressed in a clean white robe with a jade green belt, his high-quality fox fur cloak placed neatly on a nearby chair due to the heat inside.
He wore an air of nobility and propriety, which made the customers around him look coarse and vulgar in comparison, which was quite out of place in this pleasure house.
Chu Xinian was holding a stack of papers in his hand and jotting something down quickly with a pointed charcoal pen. He asked, “Madam, how old were you when you entered this brothel?”
Sitting across from him was a somewhat mature woman, with a lingering charm, wearing a green dress. She was sitting upright and, for some inexplicable reason, seemed a little nervous. Not daring to persuade him to drink, she stammered, “I…my name is Yuegu. I would have been about ten years old when I entered Wenxianglou.”
This guest was truly peculiar. He was not asking for company or service, but inquiring about the life of the older brothel sisters, to write a book in the future.
Write a book? What kind of book was it?
Could it be that someone was writing a book about prostitutes?
Yuegu found it a bit absurd but continued the conversation, given the money being offered, “I didn’t come here voluntarily. It was during a year of famine when my family sold me here. Although people accused me of dishonoring my ancestors, I managed to survive.”
Chu Xinian nodded and continued, “What happened to your family?”
“My family…” Yuegu was eating melon seeds but stopped at his question. Then she resumed and wiped her slightly watery eyes with her sleeve. Her face was heavily covered with makeup, and her bright red lips were a little glossy, “They starved to death a long time ago. My two elderly parents couldn’t walk, and I couldn’t give them much money with what I earned then. In the end, the owner helped with their burials.”
Chu Xinian sighed, “These are hard times, what do you plan to do in the future?”
“Do?” Yuegu smiled faintly but looked somewhat anxious, “What can I do? Save some silver, redeem my contract in the future, and find a place where no one knows me to spend the rest of my life.”
Chu Xinian still liked to write books and collected materials from various places. Although he was the one who created this world, there were still many stories he did not know.
From high-ranking officials and aristocratic families to ordinary commoners, and even those in humble positions.
With the Emperor and Xie Jingyuan in the lead, Chu Xinian’s interviews with high-ranking officials went smoothly every time. However, the brothel was a bit troublesome, and Xie Jingyuan would certainly not allow him to go there.
Today, Emperor Chenghao came out of the Palace in disguise to visit General Xie Jingyuan and have a drink with him, so Chu Xinian took the opportunity to slip away. He looked at the thick stack of papers in his hand and realized it was getting late. He laid a silver ingot on the table and said, “Thank you for today.”
Then he asked Yuegu, “They say that as one’s beauty fades, so does one’s appeal, and it is difficult to find true love in the world of pleasure. In the future, when your youth fades, you may lose even the capital to support yourself. The best thing would be to learn a skill and have a livelihood, then you’ll be more confident when you finally redeem yourself.”
His voice was soft and his gaze kind, which put people at ease.
Yuegu hesitated for a long while before taking the silver ingot in her hand. Finally, she wiped her slightly reddened eyes with her sleeve and stood up to bow to Chu Xinian. She said hesitantly, “Today…. Today, you have been kind, and I have done nothing in return. I have received such a large ingot of silver for nothing…”
Chu Xinian replied, “Keep it and consider it payment for sharing your story with me. Your story will be used in a book.”
After collecting his belongings, Chu Xinian got up to leave. But as he turned around, he suddenly found himself face to face with an enlarged face. His pupils constricted slightly, and he instinctively used the stack of paper in his hand to protect himself.
“Ah!”
Emperor Chenghao scrunched up his face, crying out in misery, his face filled with a mixture of sadness and anger. He trembled and pointed at Chu Xinian, stammering, “You…you…you…. you not only dare to visit a brothel behind Xie Jingyuan’s back, but you also dare to beat me!”
Indeed, he was the Crown Prince… or perhaps he should now be called Emperor.
Chu Xinian frowned. He remembered that Emperor Chenghao was drinking with Xie Jingyuan. How had he suddenly appeared here? He looked behind him and asked, “What are you doing here, where is the General?”
As soon as Chu Xinian asked, Emperor Chenghao suddenly became proud and said, “He can’t hold his liquor as well as I can; he fainted after two drinks. I saw you sneaking out, so I followed you here. I didn’t expect you to dare visit a brothel, do you think I won’t tell Jingyuan?”
Chu Xinian, of course, would not be intimidated by Emperor Chenghao. He smiled and quietly buckled his cloak, saying, “I can come here, but you may not. You should worry about being discovered, not me, a person of no importance.”
Even after becoming the Emperor, the Crown Prince had not matured much; he still displayed the same unruly behavior as before. Chu Xinian had thought he would mature and become more responsible, but it seemed he had been too optimistic.
However, that might not be a bad thing. Many people in power underwent drastic changes and lost their original intentions. If the Crown Prince was able to hold on to his original ideals, it might not be a bad thing.
Emperor Chenghao didn’t quite understand what Chu Xinian meant and stammered, “What… what do you mean?”
Chu Xinian rolled up the papers in his hand and pointed toward the door, saying, “Look, Lord Zhang of the Censorship Bureau is already at the door. You must leave quickly. If he sees the present Emperor here, there will be a scandal at the morning court tomorrow.”
The Censorship Bureau was responsible for overseeing the conduct and reputation of officials. Lord Zhang, who served as Imperial Censor, was known for being unyielding and fearlessly quarreling with the Court. He had investigated numerous corrupt officials, often visiting various brothels not for pleasure, but to catch officials of questionable conduct.
If he discovered the current Emperor here… the consequences would be unimaginable.
Emperor Chenghao was also wary of this old man, and seeing that Lord Zhang had arrived at the door, he panicked and ran upstairs. However, he unexpectedly bumped into a young girl on the way, falling into her arms. She immediately scolded him, “Tsk! You lecherous bastard! You didn’t even watch where you were going and crashed into this lady’s chest. If you want to take advantage, find the right person!”
Chu Xinian, seeing Emperor Chenghao’s embarrassment, couldn’t help but laugh. Realizing how late it was, he shook his head and turned around to leave.
Xie Jingyuan tolerated alcohol well, but for some unknown reason, after sharing only two drinks with Emperor Chenghao, he dozed off and fell into a deep sleep, completely unconscious.
And he had a long dream…
In the dream, he found himself in a pitch-black cell, his hands and feet bound by heavy shackles. His knees were pierced by arrows, and the wounds were slow to heal. Blood dripped and stained the straw on the floor red.
The air was filled with the stench of decay and heavy dust.
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
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Lf wbjcfv lc qjlc jcv j mbiv rkfja ygbxf bea bc tlr ybvs. Snfgs qjga bo tlw jmtfv, wjxlcu tlw offi ecyfjgjyif.
“Chu… Xinian…?”
Xie Jingyuan stared at the jailer without moving, his eyes looked like they were straight out of hell itself, as if he was ready to devour someone.
The jailer who came to deliver the news took a step back, frightened, but remembered the orders from above. He plucked up his courage and said, “His Majesty decreed that because Crown Prince Chenghao plotted a rebellion and tried to overthrow him, he should have been executed. However, the late Emperor showed mercy and only confined him. Even so, Crown Prince Chenghao remained unrepentant during his captivity, often uttering crazy and rebellious words. Today, he has been granted permission to hang himself and will be buried in the Imperial Mausoleum.”
At his words, the surroundings fell into a tomb-like silence, and Xie Jingyuan showed no reaction.
The jailer could not help but recall, “The deposed Crown Prince Chenghao has died, and his body has probably already been taken out of the Eastern Palace.”
Xie Jingyuan lowered his head and continued to show no reaction, making people doubt whether he was still alive. It wasn’t until the jailer lost his patience and turned to leave when suddenly a cracked and hoarse voice rang out, “Who is dead?”
The jailer stopped dead in his tracks and sneered, “Naturally, it is the deposed Crown Prince, the one who conspired with you.”
The iron chains rattled again, and Xie Jingyuan slowly raised his head, his eyes crimson. He asked another question, “And Chu Xinian? Where is Chu Xinian?”
His voice was icy as he repeated, “Where is Chu Xinian?”
Half of the man’s face was disfigured, with criss-crossed scars. When he had first been imprisoned, the people above had given him no dignity and had even removed his mask. Now, he could only vaguely glimpse a little grace on the left half of his face.
The jailer was newly assigned and was unaware of the situation outside. He did not recognize all the nobles and only knew that the most prominent member of the Chu Family was called Chu Jiaoping. As for Chu Xinian, the name sounded somewhat familiar, but he could not recall the details.
He replied impatiently, “Who knows? He probably died just like the Crown Prince.”
Was this possible?
Emperor Yan had long since passed away, Zhou Wencheng committed suicide, Prince Jin was exiled to the southern mountains, and the Crown Prince ascended the throne as Emperor. Chu Xinian was often at his side.
Why did he feel such intense hatred?
And the Crown Prince… how could he have died… and Chu Xinian…?
Veins bulged on Xie Jingyuan’s forehead, and he felt a terrifying suffocation from this dream, an ending that shouldn’t be. He let the iron chains tighten around him, making his wounds worse, until he heard the sound of bones breaking, and stopped moving abruptly.
The iron chain coiled tightly around his waist and abdomen, and any struggling only made it tighter. He had reached his limit. His ribs cracked, piercing his internal organs, and blood gushed from his throat.
Xie Jingyuan kept his head down, unmoving. Blood flowed in streams, falling to the ground. He struggled to breathe, wheezing heavily, and finally, with the last of his strength, he lifted his head and looked up at a tiny air vent above the cell.
It was snowing outside.
Extremely cold, terribly frosty. He could see neither the red walls of the Palace nor the glazed tiles, nor the snow that covered the mountains and rivers. Only the biting cold wind howled in the prison, blowing specks of snow. Falling on Xie Jingyuan’s eyebrows and eyes, they melted in an instant, blending with the blood.
Several servants happened to come out from the direction of the Eastern Palace, carrying a person covered in a white cloth. From a distance, it looked as if it had melted with ice and snow. It was not until a withered hand slipped beneath the cloth, revealing a sleeve of bright yellow silk, partially faded and discolored.
The new eunuch, who didn’t know who they were carrying, didn’t dare ask either. He waited for them to walk away before whispering to the older eunuch, “Master, who are we taking? It’s freezing on such a cold day; this is too much trouble.”
The old eunuch sighed, “Don’t ask too many questions. No matter how prestigious he was in life, now he is only a dead body”.
Then, the snow fell heavier and heavier, burying his nose and mouth, as well as the world. Suddenly, Xie Jingyuan felt suffocated, his breathing quickened, his body trembled and he woke up startled.
Xie Jingyuan’s sudden movement caused a cup to fall, creating a rattling sound. The servants outside thought something had gone wrong and quickly rushed in, exclaiming, “General!”
Xie Jingyuan, still in a daze, stared at the table in front of him. It was covered with exquisite but now cold dishes. He looked around and realized that he was in his mansion, not the bloody prison.
He closed his eyes and wiped his face, trying to remember something. Suddenly, he asked, “Where is Chu Xinian?”
The servant stammered, “General… Chu… Chu Xinian…”
He went to a brothel…
Those were words he had not decided whether to say or not when suddenly, the door outside opened and a young man dressed in a white robe and a fox fur cloak walked in.
Chu Xinian arrived just in time, covered in snow from head to toe. He glanced at the servant, gesturing for him to step back. Then, he approached Xie Jingyuan and gently touched his pale face, “Have you caught a cold? Your face is very pale.”
Xie Jingyuan felt the warmth on his cheek and instinctively grabbed Chu Xinian’s hand, the grip so tight that it almost broke his bones, and even his breathing became faster.
Chu Xinian did not resist but frowned, “General?”
Xie Jingyuan finally came to his senses and instinctively loosened his grip a little. He saw Chu Xinian alive and well before him, and suddenly as if all his strength had been exhausted, he mustered enough energy to walk over and embrace him.
“Chu Xinian…” His voice was hoarse.
Although Chu Xinian didn’t know the reason, he also hugged him tightly, “What’s wrong?”
Xie Jingyuan closed his eyes and suddenly asked, “If we had failed in our mutiny back then, what would be our fate now?”
The Crown Prince was forced to hang himself and was buried in the Imperial Mausoleum.
He was imprisoned and died, his body rotting, without even a memorial stone.
This made Xie Jingyuan’s heart tremble.
Chu Xinian smiled and sighed, “At worst, we would have died together. There is nothing to fear.”
“If the Crown Prince were to die, he would not regret it. He had such a loyal general by his side that, even in death, he would not regret it. If I were to die, I would not regret it either.”
“General, most people are not afraid of death. They are only afraid of dying for something unworthy or dying for someone unworthy…”
The original ending was indeed tragic. However, Chu Xinian always believed that if they could start over, knowing their fate beforehand, they would still choose the same path without remorse.
Without fear of death, they simply did not want to disappoint.
Xie Jingyuan inexplicably calmed down. He looked at Chu Xinian and asked in a hoarse voice, “What about the Crown Prince?”
They could not change that habit, even though it had been some time since Yin Chenghao had ascended the throne. They still liked to call him Crown Prince.
Chu Xinian always felt that Xie Jingyuan seemed to know something, but he also seemed clueless. Seeing him lost in thought, Chu Xinian decided to lift him from his seat and covered him with a cloak, leading him outside, “Let’s go. There is nothing to do tonight. I’ll take the General outside to see what’s going on with the Crown Prince.”
Jiu Yong was on guard outside and was ready to follow and protect them when he saw them leave. However, Xie Jingyuan ordered him to stay, leaving Jiu Yong with no choice but to abandon the idea.
It was already dark. Xie Jingyuan’s other trusted aide, Jiu Xiao, came to relay Jiu Yong with his subordinates. Unexpectedly, he received the same reply, “No need. I will be on duty tonight.
Jiu Xiao found it strange, wondering who would like to stay up all night, “All right, then I’ll come back tomorrow to take your shift.”
Jiu Yong was a man of few words, he just nodded and then continued patrolling near the gate. At that moment, a sudden sound came from the treetops in the distance. He frowned and was about to throw a stone to investigate when he saw a wounded bird falling to the ground.
He approached it and examined it.
It’s just an ordinary bird.
Jiu Yong bent down to pick up the bird and realized that it was still alive but could not fly because of its injured wing. In the cold outside, he hesitated for a moment and then opened a corner of the door to throw the bird inside.
Immediately, an annoyed exclamation was heard from inside, “Ah! Who threw something inside so carelessly!”
Jiu Yong froze.
Yun Que was inside, tidying up the bedding. The wounded bird had suddenly been thrown onto the blanket at her feet, startling her. She then realized it was an injured baby bird when she looked at it more closely.
“Oh, so pitiful.”
Yun Que picked up the injured bird and cradled it in her hand. Then, she opened the door and looked outside, seeing Jiu Yong standing like a statue. She raised an eyebrow and snorted, “Was it you?”
Jiu Yong, “…”
A lifeless log.
Yun Que pulled down the curtain and ignored him.
In front of Wenxianglou was a tavern. Naturally, Chu Xinian did not dare to take Xie Jingyuan to a brothel, so he took him to a seat on the upper floor of the tavern, next to the window. He ordered some dishes and then opened the window to watch for a moment. Finally, he pointed across the street to show Xie Jingyuan, saying, “General, look, the Crown Prince is over there.”
Yin Chenghao was discovered by Lord Zhang. However, he firmly believed that as long as he did not admit it, no one would be able to recognize him. He covered his face with his sleeve and hurried out of Wengxianglou, planning to find a place to hide.
Lord Zhang, the Imperial Censor, chased after him, grabbed him, and inspected him closely. His expression was filled with suspicion, and he felt that the person in front of him looked familiar, “You… you…”
The Crown Prince used his sleeve to cover his face and impatiently pushed him away, “You’ve got the wrong person! Let go of me, let go of me! I have leprosy, don’t touch me!”
Xie Jingyuan, with sharp eyes, recognized the person as the Imperial Censor Lord Zhang, known to be troublesome. He wondered how these two had met, “What are those two doing together?”
Chu Xinian smiled faintly, “When the ruler of a nation visits a brothel, Imperial Censor Lord Zhang can’t turn a blind eye.”
Xie Jingyuan did not know why but remained silent. With the New Year approaching, he watched the lively scenes outside, as Chu Xinian sat across from him. Suddenly, his heart softened for a moment, he looked at Chu Xinian and said quietly, “Never in my dreams did I imagine a day like today…”
Chu Xinian took his hand, “This moment is everlasting, year after year, and it is all my pleasure.”
At the fall of his words, a burst of fireworks exploded high above, lighting up the streets of the Capital. Despite the dazzling spectacle, the melodious voices of the famous opera company hired by the tavern owner could still be heard: “He taught me to let go of lingering resentment, to avoid greed, to renew myself, to change my temperament, to stop worshipping the past, to turn away from the bitter sea and to realize the truth of the Orchids…”
Xie Jingyuan closed his eyes and listened for a moment. Then he turned to Chu Xinian and said, “It's 'Suo Lin Purse'.”
He looked deeply at Chu Xinian, unable to discern the depth of emotions hidden beneath the surface. It only made him look more dazzling than the thousands of fireworks outside.
Chu Xinian, surprisingly, looked somewhat embarrassed and turned his head away, avoiding eye contact, “Why are you looking at me like that?”
Xie Jingyuan shook his head and did not reply. He seemed to be lost in thought for a moment, “I was just wondering… How did you know that the Crown Prince was in the brothel?”
Chu Xinian, hearing this, clenched the teacup in his hand for a moment and then looked up, meeting Xie Jingyuan’s eyes half-smiling.
Chu Xinian was still considering offering some sort of explanation when Xie Jingyuan, as if he already knew the reason, laughed in amusement and interrupted, “Don’t make up stories to fool me. That old friend Mei Fengchen is racking his brains to recruit you into the Ministry of Justice, but you completely ignore him and write obscure books instead. If he hears about this, won’t he be furious?”
Chu Xinian, with a smile, replied, “General, you don’t know, the world of literature is quite interesting.”
Raising an intrigued eyebrow, Xie Jingyuan leaned closer and asked, “For example?”
Chu Xinian replied, “For example? For example, if I were to write an autobiography, it would certainly include you, General.”
Xie Jingyuan showed great interest and leaned in even closer, “How would you write about me?”
Naturally, he wanted to know how he would be portrayed in Chu Xinianian’s future writings….
However, Chu Xinian said no more. He saw the lively street below and decided to take Xie Jingyuan downstairs to join the celebrations. During the celebration, he vaguely heard a sound coming from System.
System: [Congratulations, dear host. The villain’s blackening level has been reduced to 0. You have completed the mission and received a reward: a chance of rebirth]
Chu Xinian paused for a moment, then saw a diamond floating in front of him, its brilliance enhanced by the surrounding lights.
Xie Jingyuan’s remaining blackening level was at 20.
After the death of Emperor Yan, it dropped to 10.
When Zhou Wenchen took his own life, it dropped to 2.
Now, that 2 had finally been cleared.
System, remembering the previous lesson, did not immediately transport Chu Xinian back, but asked reluctantly: [Dear host, congratulations on getting a chance to be reborn. You can choose to stay in this world or return to the real world. Please make your choice]
This question had been pondered by Chu Xinian for a long time. He was not one to hesitate or be indecisive, but it was rare for him to be unable to make a decision.
He remembered a phrase his grandfather had said to him a long time ago.
“Throughout your life, never be bound by the outside world. You were born to be yourself. Even if you cannot abandon your loved ones, their wishes will never change. When you are happy, they will be happy”.
Many years ago, Chu Laoye had once calculated Chu Xinian’s fortune and told him that there was a great calamity in his destiny, a situation that was neither life nor death, a situation where he would be pushed to the edge of the abyss before finding rebirth.
Chu Xinian didn’t quite believe it, but even if he did, he would quietly embrace death and use his limited time to do more meaningful things.
“I…”
Chu Xinian closed his eyes silently for a long time, then slowly uttered, “I’m staying.”
He was always worried, worried about Xie Jingyuan, and worried about the Crown Prince. Although the ending had already been rewritten, he wanted to ensure their safety and well-being until the end before he could truly relax.
Chu Laoye had a carefree personality, so he probably wouldn’t mind. He had a few obedient disciples who could take care of him in his old age, so he shouldn’t worry too much.
System was not surprised by his choice. He floated over to Chu Xinian, touched him gently in what seemed like a gesture of farewell, and expressed a hint of sadness at having lost so many points for nothing: [Congratulations, the villain’s blackening level has been eliminated. You have successfully saved this world]
[System has detached, I wish you a safe journey. Little King Kong is always at your service~]
Chu Xinian hesitated for a moment, “Little King Kong…?”
Oh no, he accidentally revealed his name!
System was startled and quickly denied it: [No, no, no, no, you must have heard wrong!]
Chu Xinian, with a subtle expression, asked, “Did you just say your name was Little King Kong?”
System heard the hidden message and grumbled heavily: [Do you want to have my blessing or not!]
Chu Xinian, you rascal!
Unaware that System was cursing him inside, Chu Xinian smiled and said, “So your name is Little King Kong.”
System had already packed his bags and was ready to leave, but he still heard Chu Xinian’s slow reply, “This name… it’s quite interesting.”
Quite amusing too.
System could guess the implied meaning in his words and couldn’t help but grumble again: [Thank you, you’re a great person. I’ll report this to the CEO! Goodbye, dear Host!]
He turned and flew away, his radiant body gradually disappearing into the sky, flying far beyond the city walls. Outside was a large stone monument, covered with accumulated snow. A row of names stood out, for it bore the name of the current emperor, as well as the name of the Great Yan War God.
Another name on the monument did not belong to this era, but by a twist of fate, it had left its mark on this world.
Xie Jingyuan, Yan Chenghao, Chu Xinian…
System blew the snow that had fallen on him, walked over to examine it for a long time, then snorted and flew away. His name didn’t sound as good as theirs.
Hand in hand, Chu Xinian and Xie Jingyuan walked through the streets. Chu Xinian, as if sensing something, looked in the direction of the city gate, but did not look away for a long time. Xie Jingyuan noticed and asked him mockingly, “What’s on your mind, do you miss your beloved?”
“He is right in front of me; what is there to miss?”
Chu Xinian smiled and said, “I was just thinking that ‘Lanting’ is a well-chosen name. It sounds good.”
Xie Jingyuan snorted softly upon hearing this and suppressed a smile, “You have good taste.”
END OF VOL 2
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rottenmindedbigsis: jiejie here~ I hope all of you are having a good day! with this chapter we finish vol2 and welcome vol3!
🙏💜💜💜
I’m kind of sorry for the family members left behind in the original world…
Anyway, thank you so much for the chapter!!! ❤️
On with the next Arc!!
🎉🎊
Thank you for translating this volume!
My god I loved this arc so much 😭💖 I was hoping to see Yun Que and Jiu Yong progress, but alas! I will say that the ship has set sail in my heart 😔
✨💖💖💖
And yet the springs will still return, even if i am not there to see it. Thank you Translator for your hard work! I look forward to the next volume.